St Patrick's AC Race Participation - Season 2008 /09

Total
up RRL 4 Attard H- Dingli Pembroke RRL 5
POS NAME MM Total
to Qawra 10k MM 10 10K M'Scala
M2S
44 Cauchi Donald 362 162 176 150 850
45 Zerafa Joseph 600 198 798
46 Camilleri Philip 162 190 202 172 726
47 Barbara Lydia 372 166 182 720
48 Gellel Michael 710 710
49 Bonnici Jimmy 270 204 216 690
50 D'Amato Henrik 402 282 684
51 Cutajar Godwin 248 206 214 668
52 Caruana Carmel 0 232 240 190 662
53 Spiteri Simon 372 238 610
54 Brincat Pawlu 420 182 602
55 Spiteri Edwin 434 168 602
56 Magri Simone 158 214 196 568
57 Ryder Kenneth 366 178 544
58 Darmanin Charles 226 276 502
59 Zammit Jude 0 288 210 498
60 Vassallo Emile 0 284 212 496
61 Privitelli Tonio 176 286 462
62 Spiteri Vincent 222 164 386
63 Calleja Michael 326 326
64 Borda Cecil 0 292 292
65 Grima Sinclair 286 286
66 Desira Ernest 254 254
67 Camilleri Simon S 0 244 244
68 Ellul Myvin 0 220 220
69 Attard Michael 0 212 212
70 Camilleri Charles 0 200 200
71 Manto Vitale 0 192 192
72 Sciberras Adrian 0 190 190
73 Galea Rachel 0 176 176
74 Abela George 0 174 174
75 Mangion Marvin 166 166
76 Formosa Alan 0 166 166
77 Jones David 0 154 154
78 Spiteri Danica 70 70

The race participation scheme is handled by Stephen Mifsud. Any mistake noticed should be brought to his
attention either by contacting him on mobile (7944 3271) or else via e-mail (stemif@maltanet.net).

As from this year, the Race Participation Scheme for St. Patrick's AC Runners has been updated, mainly with the aim
of making it more appealing, interesting and varied. Please refer to the December 2008 issue of The Shamrock
(page 12). The major introduction as from this year is the inclusion of the Club's League Track & Field Meetings in
the Participation Scheme. To avoid all possible misinterpretations, it is being underlined that this Club League is
composed of the three meetings to be held at the Marsa track on the 8th, 15th and 22nd July 2009. Those athletes
participating in all three meetings of the Club League will benefit from points for the Race Participation Scheme.
26.2 Miles – A Life-Changing Experience!
Cyprian Dalli
I am in my brother-in-law’s car, on a
grey, windy, uninspiring Sunday
morning, as he is driving me up to
Mdina. This is no ordinary day! This is
THE day! It is the day of reckoning! The
day to seize the moment – the Carpe-
Diem-kind of day! Lost in my thoughts, I
am, hopefully, in my last minutes as a
non-marathoner. In around 300
minutes, I will be that which I always
wanted to be, that which I thought I will
never be! I will have conquered the
Marathon – that most openly-public,
challenging, possibly-humbling and
potentially-embarrassing of all athletic
endeavours!
I treat the word ‘Marathon’ with
reverence and a sort of mystic devotion!
I rarely use it if not to refer to what it
actually means: A footrace of 26 Miles
395 yards that tests the human
physiology in a way unlike any other!
I am thinking of how much I hate it
when people abuse the word
‘Marathon’. I hate it when people call a
‘Marathon’ a 10K race. I even hate it
more when they call a 5K race a
‘Marathon’. I hate it when I hear the
news talking about a fund-raising
Renato Caruana, Jude Zammit, Charles Darmanin, Martin Agius,
Emile Vassallo, Cyprian Dalli, Paul Grima & Tonio Privitelli
‘Marathon’, or a football ‘Marathon’!
I get upset when people ask me: ‘So,
how long was that marathon last
weekend?’ or ‘I think the marathon in
Malta is shorter than the one in
London’. Absolutely not! A MARATHON
is a MARATHON! In China as in
Iceland, in New York as in Guadalajara!
In Greece as in Malta! A Marathon is
26.2 Miles or, if you prefer, 42KMs and
195 metres! No more! No less! It is not
26 Miles and it is not 42 KMs! It is
26.2M or 42.195KMs. Period!
The Shamrock June ‘09 12
It was a word which used to put me on
anxiety-mood! 26.2 Miles! 42.195 KMs!!
I remember ever since I started running,
a ‘Marathon’ seemed to be the ultimate
test - the Holy Grail – the moment
where I will transcend myself from a
‘basic’ runner into a ‘marathoner’! But
obtaining this seemed a pie in the sky –
something which I dearly wanted but
which I was convinced was only
reserved for the really resilient athletes!
But thanks to my ‘insanity’ and love of
the sport, I am here now – ready to face
the monster!
After so many miles, most of them
alone, in the cold wind and rain of a
harsh winter, here I am – facing my
dreams, my fears, my insecurities, my
determination! I have the same feeling
in my stomach of when I used to have
exams way back in my primary school
days! That feeling of do or die, fight of
flight! But I am resolute to fight this
morning! Bring it on! Let’s see who’s the
tough guy here!
Oh, finally! Here they are! The other
guys from St. Patrick’s! I am relieved to
see them and share the last thoughts
with them before embarking on the
voyage! Carmen, Renato, Martin,
Marisa, Emile, Jude! I took refuge in the
fact that they seem tenser than usual –
ergo, I am not the only one on the verge
of a nervous breakdown! And there’s
Tonio too! And Charles and Paul, and
Drew! Hey, we Shamrockers are the
biggest bunch here!
Martin comes to me and repeats what
he has repeated to me every time he
met me in the last two months –
“Remember this – you are not a true
athlete unless you do a Marathon.
Today’s your chance, man!” Martin –
such a motivator!
On your marks! PUUM! Here we go! I
hastily press the Enter button on my
Garmin and I start the long journey. I
look around me! Some of my friends
are already a good 50 metres ahead!
Bye bye guys, I’ll catch up with you in
Sliema! Most of the persons around are
foreigners. Some have the shape of
seasoned athletes! Some others I
would never bet €1 that they are
runners! One of them impresses me –
he is holding a handful of gels in his
hand! Another has a handkerchief tied
up to his head like a typical Maltese
bennej! Runners – such a funny bunch
of human beings!
I press the play button on my I-Pod
Shuffle! Soon enough I hear the voice
of the Bellamy Brothers instructing me
to “Let The Love Flow”! I think “Better
have my legs flowing this morning!” It’s
a nice song to start of a voyage in! Puts
me in good mode!
I begin to make a reality-check analysis!
I am not happy with the flow of my legs,
they seem to go all by themselves! Ok,
maybe it’s the tension and it will soon
ebb away! But the feeling persists! 5K!
7K! 9K! Wish I can settle in my usual
long-run pace, but my legs are naughty
this morning! Ok! No panic! Sooner or
later, they’ll adjust! They have to adjust!
And they do adjust! The downhill
leading to the Mount Carmel Hospital is
nice and easy, and finally, I can control
my legs! I am not trembling anymore! I
can hold on or push as I feel like it!
Finally! Let the show begin!
In Mosta now! I remember that my
sister was planning to meet me along
somewhere in Mosta. A couple of
minutes afterwards I see her, and her
husband. I wave to them! I want to see
them that I am in good shape! I guess it
is their first ever sporting event they are
attending! They give me a bunch of jelly
babies! I love them! I tell them that
everything is under control!
Out from Mosta we head towards Ta’
Buqajna hill. Not a steep hill by any
standards, but after 100 minutes, it can
be tricky! And indeed it is! I pluck
comfort from the fact that I know that
this is the only hill on the route and I
brave my way up. It is soon over and
the road turns downhill now. The miles
are running fast now. I am at the half-
way mark and am feeling fine and all
revved up!
Back into Ta’ Qali. I have the strange
feeling of going around in circles as I
have already passed this road twice
already earlier on. I am at K26 – and I
www.stpatricksac.info
never had raced this long before. But I
am feeling ok – its only 10 Miles to the
Finish – I brave myself!
I have come to a point where I have
been running for the past 30 minutes
completely on my own! I do not mind as
I am used to solo-runs, but my mind
dwells on this jealous feeling towards all
those athletes who run big-city
marathons where the spectators never
end and where the support is incessant!
Ah, how I wish I was crossing Tower
Bridge right now instead of the
Millenium Stand at Ta’ Qali!
Then suddenly, I hear the sound of
galloping and see many people running
in front of me! For a moment, I am
unaware of what is happening. But then
I comprehend that these are the Half-
Marathon runners! Finally! Loneliness
stops here! Let’s join the party! I see
some familiar faces – Antoine, Peter,
Wholley. I am impressed at the number
of St. Patrick’s runners. I am glad to
belong to this bunch of people! At one
time, a skinny lad passes by me,
dressed in a Hulk costume! I Hi5 him. I
am feeling strong, and proud now –
sporting my orange bib number unlike
the ‘ordinary’ white one most of the
people around are wearing!
We run through the water-station in
front of Mount Carmel again. Looming
ahead is Mile 20 Mark – the Wall! But I
cannot sense anything going wrong!
Actually, I think I am running much
better than the first part of the race! I
am relieved – I feel like this is a new
beginning – the moment where it all
starts! Just 6 miles to go now! I see a
young foreigner about to stop. I as him
if he wants water and he accepts! He
continues and I encourage him! Soon
enough we are running in the same
pace! He tells me his name is Tom and
he is from Belgium!
Running along many other runners is
mind-relieving now! I am amazing
myself as how good I am feeling after
running for 21 Miles, but as soon as I hit
the first hump on the Mriehel by-pass, I
am hit back by a strong cramp in my left
tight abductor. I have to stop – stretch
and pray that will pass soon! While I am
clutching my teeth trying to brave the
pain, Tom passes me and tells me:
‘Come on, runner! Don’t be a pussy!’
That smacks my pride and I yell without
anyone hearing me: ‘Me? A Pussy?
You don’t know me, Tommy boy!’ and
in an instance the cramp is gone and I
am running again.
I am flowing! I am on auto-pilot mood! I
can run forever! My muscles and
ligaments are in sync! I pass besides
Porte des Bombes and I am feeling
fresh and focused! I am in love with the
www.stpatricksac.info
feeling! This is too good to last till the
Finish! I am conscious that at any
moment now, everything might take a
wrong swerve!
Ouch! Awch! Two cramps! Left tight!
Right Calf! I look at my Garmin and it
shows almost 39KM! This is the
furthest distance I have ever run in
my whole life! But it would mean
nothing if I quit now! Today, it’s not
about 39KM, it’s about 42.195KM!
Sure, I can manage the last 3000
metres of this journey – no matter
how hard they can be! This is my
dream, and no pain is greater than
my thirst to realise it! Push on Cyp!
This is what a marathon is all about!
I am pumped with so much
adrenaline that I cannot feel the pain
any longer! I feel my heart beating
strong! I feel temperature rising! I
know that every sinew of my legs is
hurting me, but I am engulfed in a
quasi-masochistic feeling that the
more I am in pain, the stronger I
embrace the moment! I start to run
again, strong and sharp. I am at Ta’
Xbiex – 40K. Then round the bend at
Gzira – 41K! Manoel Island Bridge! It
is done! I am here! Nothing will stop
me now! I am full of trepidation! And
lactic acid!
At that moment I see Gino Cetchuti
on his bike! We have spoken just 2
days before and he gave me a lot of
encouragement! He turns his smile at
me and yells: “Ghamiltha! Qed tara kif
ghamiltha?!”.
There are hardly any moments in life
when you feel that everything around
you is in sync - that every blessed
atom in and around you are serving
their purpose! And this was such a
moment! Hearing Gino’s words made
me realise that I have managed to
seize my dream! My mind took me
back to all the trials and tribulations of
my short-yet-loaded experience as a
runner! This was my zeitgeist! Tears
are flowing! I am crying like a baby! I
am is a state of bliss! I want to
embrace everyone! Everyone! I am
proud of myself! Martin, I am a true
athlete now, my friend!
I see my wife and my two kids! They
are cheering me big time! ‘Go for it!
Go for it Papa’!’ shouts Pavel. I am so
blessed through them! I am doing this
for them too! I want him to go to
school tomorrow and tell his friends
‘My papa’ ran a marathon yesterday!’
I kick up the pace as I want to finish
strong – but I am also conscious that as
soon as I cross that finish line, this
experience will be over! But hey, next
year, I will do it again.
F’Ghajnejn ir-Runner
Il-maratona giet u ghaddiet.
Nispera li kullhadd ha gost u ma
wegga hadd. Xi ftit tal-mistrieh issa
jixraqilna wkoll.
Haga zghira li forsi ma hi xejn pero’
ghal min jiehu u jerfa r-ritratti min
sena ghal sena, bhal kont ftit
dizappuntat ghax fuq il-banner ta’ l-
istart li kien hemm is-Saqqajja r-
Rabat ma kienx hemm 2009. Forsi
dak li jkun ma tigiehx f’mohhu.
Pero’ issa jibdew hafna tlielaq fit-
toroq kwazi darbtejn fix-xhar u
anke’ izjed. Ahna li nigru
regolarment fit-toroq irridu
nippreparaw ruhna sew biex
naghmlu girjiet tajbin fejn niehdu
gost u jzommulna l-entuzjazmu
ghal matul is-sena kollha.
Issa t-temp jibda jishon xi ftit u jtina
ftit mistrieh min dik ix-xita kontinwa
u rih qawwi li kellna matul ix-xitwa li
ghaddiet. Ikollna iktar cans nigru
f’hinijiet different ital-gurnata qabel
ma jidhol is-sajf, fejn ikollna bilfors
nigru filghodu kmieni jew tard
filghaxija.
Fil-girja tad-Dingli 10 kelli cans
nitkellem ma’ runner li s-soltu jkun
min ta’ l-ewwel li jidhol fit-tlielaq.
Din id-darba beda jigri maghna s-
slow runners fejn kellna c-cans
nitkellmu fuq suggetti varji waqt il-
girja u fl-istess hin qadna niehdu
gost bil-kampanja kollha hdura.
Ghal dan ir-runner kienet
esperjenza unika fejn il-hsieb
ewlieni tieghu ma kiens li jigi min ta’
quddiem nett imma li jasal sal-
finish, jigri pass komdu waqt li
niehdu gost bil-kumpanija ta’ xulxin
fejn xi cajta l’hemm u l’hawn ma’
naqsitx ukoll.
Veru hadna gost. Il-girja tal-klab
kienet organizzata tajjeb. Prosit lil
l-organizzaturi.
Paul Grima
I look at the timer ahead. It reads
3:53:30. I open my arms and close my
eyes! I am a new person!
I am a runner – not just any runner!
I am a marathoner!
The Shamrock June ‘09 13
Why Do Athletes Under-Perform In Competition?
By Adele Muscat
Everyday I meet athletes who
express their concern at not being
able to perform when it really matters.
Over the years I have come up with a
number of reasons why I feel Maltese
athletes under perform in
competitions when compared to
training.
Very often when competing, athletes
will focus on what they cannot control
such as the weather, the opponent,
spectators, cameras and the track.
One must remember that these
conditions are the same for
everybody. True some athletes may
be used to training in certain
conditions more than others, but very
often we can try to simulate such
conditions. Example if you are going
to compete in the mid-afternoon heat
then it is important to train in such
conditions. If spectators distract you,
ask a large group of people to attend
training and try to distract you.
What about the opponent? In
individual sports this should not be as
much an issue as most athletes make
it out to be. You cannot control your
opponent and what he or she does.
Your aim should first of all be to beat
yourself and achieve a personal best.
Beating your opponent, winning,
The Shamrock June ‘09 14
happens on its own. Children
especially, focus too much on
winning, placing first. Remember that
only one person can win and this may
be an unrealistic goal. Give yourself a
personal target to work towards. Be
specific and set goals that are
measurable.
Our thoughts are major distractions.
Athletes, sometimes unknowingly,
talk to themselves negatively, ‘I’m so
tired….I have to stop….I can’t do
this….he’s so much bigger than
me…’. These are very often the worst
kind of distractions. So athletes need
to make it a habit to get themselves to
talk positively in training and in
competition- ‘come on you can do
it…the competition is already half way
over’. This is a very effective way to
get rid of negative thoughts but may
take some time to develop. With
some athletes I tend to draw a nice
big smiley on their hands so that
when they catch a glimpse of their
hand they remember to be positive.
What I find really helps when athletes
are feeling the pressure is to try to go
out for the competition with
aggressiveness…what I mean is be
aggressive in your attitude! An
aggressive attitude can be created by
the way you talk to yourself ex. ‘I’m
going to go out there and thrash my
previous best time’. Listening to
aggressive music also helps greatly
prior to the competition.
A number of athletes start performing
well half-way through the race. This is
not good enough especially when
competing against athletes who are
roughly at the same level as you.
What you need to do here is mental
warm-up and the best way to do this
is to spend a few minutes just
imagining your best performances
ever. This will help to build
confidence, enhance concentration
and lower anxiety levels.
The most important is by far to
believe in yourself and remember that
you need to do everything the same
as usual, the same as in training.
Ms Adele Muscat B.Psy., MSc SES
(Manchester) has been the Malta
Olympic Committee’s Sport
Psychologist for Malta’s top athletes
for nearly 9 years.
Adele also lectures in Sport
Psychology at the University of Malta
and at the Malta College of Arts,
Science and Technology and is a
Director at the Malta Olympic
Committee. She may be contacted
by email at adele@nocmalta.org.
www.stpatricksac.info
 In collaboration with
www.marathonchallengemalta.com

RACE INFORMATION

Date: Friday, 10th July 2009

Time: 2 kilometer Fun Run: 6.30 p.m.

10 kilometer Open Race: 7.00 p.m.

Place: Birzebbuga Church Square.

Prizes: 10 Km Race. First 6 Males

First 4 Females
First Under 20 Male & Female.

Age Groups; Men Over 35/40/45/50/55/60/65/70

Female Over 35/40/45/50/55/60

A Trophy will also be awarded to the first male and female Birzebbuga athlete in the 10K
Categories consisting of 8 or more, 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize awarded.
Categories consisting of 5 to 7, 1st and 2nd prize awarded.
Less than 5 participants, only 1st prize awarded.

Any athlete winning more than one prize must accept the first one.

A commemorative medal will be given to all finishers (including the Fun Run). Also a pair of
“Hilly” socks, a €5 “Money Off” “Hilly” voucher and a 50% discount off “Hilly” voucher for all
adult 10km runners, distributed to all 10K participants with running number and can be used on
race day at the “On Site”.Runners Centre Mobile Shop
NB: Socks must be collected on day using voucher supplied & can not be used after race day

Eligibility: 10 Km : 17 years or over on the day of the race

Fun Run: 6 years and over

Entry Fee: 10 Kms : € 10.00

Fun Run: € 5.00

Water Stations: At the 4th and 7th km respectively

Presentation: Will be held in front of Birzebbuga Police Station at 20.00 hrs

Closing Date: Friday, 3rd July 2009

Late Entries: 10kms race € 20.00

Race Numbers will be sent by post whilst results will be available on the Club website
www.stpatricksac.info
 in collaboration with
www.marathonchallengemalta.com

Under M.A.A.A. Rules

Friday, 10th July 2009
PLEASE USE BLOCK LETTERS

Surname:

Name: Sex (M-Male/F-Female):

Address:

Telephone: Age on day of race:

Name of Club (if any):

I am entering the : 10 KM FunRun

€ 10.00 € 5.00

I enclose herewith my cheque / postal order no._________, value ________ being the amount of the
entry fee. (Please note that entries will not be accepted unless accompanied by entry fee)
Cheques / Postal orders should be made payable to “ST. PATRICK’S AC.” only

I declare that I will abide by the eligibility rules and competition rules of M.A.A.A. and St.Patrick’s AC.
I accept that the organisers will not be liable for any loss, damage or injury I may sustain as a
consequence of my participation in the ‘Birzebbuga 10 K' and Fun run. I declare that I have trained
sufficiently for the event and that my physical condition has been monitored by a medical doctor.
I hereby declare that the above particulars are complete and correct in every detail.

Signature : _________________________ Date : ____________________

Entries and remittance are to be sent to :

ST. PATRICK’S AC.
69, “Wintermoor”, Karmenu Vassallo Street, L-Iklin

Closing date Friday 3rd July 2009

This application form can be photocopied

 St. Patrick’s Athletics Club
BBQ

AT CLUBHOUSE, GUDJA €12 (ADULTS)

FRIDAY 19TH JUNE €6 (CHILDREN)
7.30 PM

For Bookings:
Peter Barbara 99239155 / 21826830
Martin Agius 99840240 / 21664708
Rose Tabone 99860928

This is a little note to say a big THANK YOU to all our friends club members of St. Patrick’s Running Club
for making our stay in Malta so enjoyable. It was a pleasure, even an honour knowing you all. We like to
say au revoir, not goodbye as you will see us again sooner than expected!
Ken and Marlene Ryder

www.stpatricksac.info The Shamrock June ‘09 17

Marathon Blues Why the full – because it is the one athletic event that
people outside running can relate to in terms of running
achievements. Tell someone in the office that you ran a
Eugenio Farrugia
sub 40 minute 10K for which you might have been
training your guts out and the blank stare on the face will
1 March 2009 -10.00 a.m. outside Mdina gate. A mix of
tell you that they wish to ask if that is good or bad, but are
emotions take hold of me as I holler back ‘Yes I want’ to
reluctant to do so for fear of offending you.
John Walsh’s ‘Do you want to run’ with which he
challenged the odd 700 runners all eager to start running
On the other hand tell someone that you are training for a
the 13.1 miles to Ferries Sliema.
marathon and they can relate to that as something out of
the ordinary. Probably they will not know the distance but
What am I hollering for, I asked myself – this is a sad day,
they will know that its origins date back to Greece (circa
I should be sad not joyful - I am not in my best form – I
490BC) when some Greek guy (certain individuals may
woke up with a terrible headache, my ankle was already
also offer you his name – Pheidippides) ran from
protesting at the pounding it received from the warm up
Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over
jog and the mix of down right offensive, sweet and sharp
the Persians in the Battle of Marathon, to drop dead soon
smelling odours inevitable at the start of a crowded race
after. It is written that he had run 150 miles on the two
did not help at all; and I was not supposed to be there! I
previous days!
should have been on the starting line at the same venue,
only two hours earlier. I was supposed to have run the
And closer to home, a running friend told me during a
whole 26.2 miles, but my physique failed me, it cheated
Zurrieq half marathon trial, which turned out to be a PB
me - and only just managed to be on the starting line of
for me (pity it was not the real thing!), that ‘only after you
the ‘little’ one - and only just.
run a full marathon can you describe yourself as an
athlete’, and another ‘the full is the once in a life time
When my training program took me into the 3 hours and 3
runner’s visit to Mecca’. What other reasons would one
hours 15minutes range my body just gave way. For a
want to attempt running the full 26.2 miles?
while after that I considered philosophically (!?!?!)
whether it was mostly important to cross the start line or
But the little one is; well….the aspirin taken by the
the finish line. Had I decided that crossing the start line
drowning man with a headache, perhaps. A retired athlete
was more important I would have continued with the
I know told me that the half marathon is not recognised as
plans for running the full marathon, albeit plans doctored
an athletic event, and goes on to point that this only
to fit my physical abilities at the time. In the end I decided
caught on because of the large number of hopefuls and
that crossing the finishing line was more important, and I
‘wannabees’ that can’t make the full distance. And to
was in no shape of doing that any time soon. So the only
make his point, stresses - there is no half marathon
option left was the doing the ‘little’ one.
competition in the Olympics. It is a non ‘distance’! You
can just as well time yourself running from home to the
To commence a timely recovery I reduced mileage and
supermarket – you will not get that in the Olympics. There
frequency drastically, running a short 45 minutes two
is only one marathon distance and that is the 26.2 mile
times a week. On this meagre training plan I pulled
one – it does not even need the adjective of ‘full’ as a
through two 10Ks hoping they will help me keep fit for the
marathon is a marathon - period. The ‘full’ was only
half – now the consoling objective. My physiotherapist
required to differentiate the real marathon from the ugly
advised me to take a break, but I could not. I was too
‘half’ sibling. The 13.1 may just as well have been called
deeply involved, and still am, in the club’s participation
a thirteen miler, like a ten miler but it has no business to
race competition and did not want to give up now. I had
have ‘marathon’ in its description. The marathon adjective
already missed a placing for a measly few points the
was thrown in to make the run increasingly attractive to
previous year and am adamant it will not happen again
individuals stuck between being Sunday runners and
this year.
athletes – hopefuls stuck between sizes! OK you made
your point! So?
The frustration, anger, jealousy when reading the full
marathon roll call on the souvenir program was; well –
So, should I be glad to have covered the ‘little’ distance in
indescribable- and the fact that on it were female runners,
1 hour 33 minutes 45seconds. You’re darn right I am. I
including my wife, who, on other runs I normally only see
don’t care whether the half is a non ‘distance’ or that it
on the start line, did not help at all – please show me
may be a non athletic event. What I care about is the
somewhere to hide!
exhilaration I feel every time I am successful in pushing
myself beyond familiar boundaries, and any occasion to
But there you have it, no matter what opinion you have of
provide this opportunity whilst running is good by my
yourself, no matter what opinion others have of you, it is
book. My dream to cover the full distance will have to wait
what you can do that counts, and I decided I could not run
– someday and, perhaps. Suddenly I do not feel it is
the whole 26.2 miles let alone run them within my original
something I have to do in life.
target of 3 hours 30 minutes. I had run a strong Malta
Marathon Challenge and going for the full was naturally
With special congratulations to those who covered the
the next objective. Fred Lebow founder New York City
whole 26.2 miles in the Land Rover Marathon 2009 – a
Marathon is quoted as saying, "Every jogger can’t dream
very well done to you all, especially to my wife who
of being an Olympic champion, but he can dream of
completed the run in 4hours 4minutes, and of course all
finishing a marathon." That’s a dream I was identifying
the St.Patrick’s runners.
with at the time.

The Shamrock June ‘09 18 www.stpatricksac.info

What’s On: Athletics’ Events
1/6 June SMALL NATIONS 1 July PENTATHLON 1 22 July CLUB’S LEAGUE
GAMES Track & Field Track & Field
Track & Field Edwin Attard: Edwin Attard:
79252743 or 79252743 or
7 June QORMI 10KM eattard@waldonet eattard@waldonet
Road Running .net.mt .net.mt
10km
8 July CLUB’S LEAGUE 28 July BIRKIRKARA SJ
21 June OLYMPIC DAY Track & Field 5K RUNNING
RUN Edwin Attard: SERIES
ND
MOC 79252743 or 2 Leg –
Sue Ronald: eattard@waldonet Birkirkara St.
moc@nocmalta.org .net.mt Joseph
Euchar Camilleri:
24 June SUMMER 99466256
MEETING 1 10 July BIRZEBBUGIA
Track & Field 10k 29 July PENTATHLON 2
Edwin Attard: St. Patrick’s AC Track & Field
79252743 or Joe Zerafa: Edwin Attard:
eattard@waldonet 21410648 79252743 or
.net.mt 250 Points eattard@waldonet
.net.mt
For application form go to Page 15
30 June BIRKIRKARA SJ
5K RUNNING
SERIES
ST
1 Leg – Birkirkara 15 July CLUB’S LEAGUE All details as per provisional
St. Joseph Track & Field
Euchar Camilleri:
calendar issued in 2008.
Edwin Attard: Kindly check with race
99466256 79252743 or organisers in well in advance
eattard@waldonet
.net.mt
to confirm dates.

www.stpatricksac.info The Shamrock June ’09 19

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

St. Patrick's Athletic Club

Affiliated to the Malta Amateur Athletic Association

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

DATE: Friday 24th July 2009

TIME: 6.30 p.m.

LOCATION: Clubhouse,
Dawret il-Gudja,
Gudja
AGENDA

1. Approval of the 2008 Annual General Meeting minutes.

2. Statute amendments.
3. Receiving and voting upon the accounts of 2008.
4. Election of nine new members to fill the vacancies in the committee.
5. President’s Address.
6. Any other business.

All Members are urged to attend and be punctual, as this is a very important Annual
General Meeting. Members who have not yet paid their Annual Subscription kindly
do so before the Meeting.

Nominations to serve on the committee should be submitted in writing to the

committee at least seven (7) days prior to the Annual General Meeting. Nominations
should be signed by a proposer and the nominated candidate.

NOMINATED CANDIDATE: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

PROPOSER: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _

ANY STATUTE AMENDMENTS:

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _